The Billionaire’s Wedding Trap - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

The desk shuddered under his violent slam, the crack of wood reverberating through the office. His jaw locked with tension, muscles coiled like springs ready to snap. White-hot fury pulsed through his veins - Elle had disappeared without a trace. Vanished. Like smoke in the wind.
He raked trembling fingers through his hair. The pills. She must have discovered the truth about the medication. That damn trash can with her shredded credit cards mocked him - no money, no resources, yet she'd somehow escaped. Someone had helped her. But who?
A sharp knock interrupted his thoughts before Aliya barged in, her ashen face framed by a forehead bandage. She collapsed onto the couch with a pained wince, favoring one leg.
"What the hell happened to you?" Cain's eyes narrowed to slits.
"Car accident," she breathed, avoiding his gaze. "I was checking on Elle when I lost control." Her voice carried an odd cadence - the subtle hitch of a liar. But Elle's disappearance consumed his attention.
"So she's still gone."
Aliya's gasp was theatrically sharp. "But how? Where could she possibly-"
"That's exactly what I need answered!" Cain's fist connected with the wall. "No money, no connections, yet she's vanished. Someone helped her."
"Maybe... she ran alone?" Aliya's suggestion came too quickly.
Cain scoffed. "Impossible. And now the company's imploding - investors withdrawing, board members demanding new elections." He paced like a caged animal. "That CEO document means nothing without Elle's endorsement. She's still the majority shareholder - MarcMillan's golden child."
Aliya's frown deepened. "But you made her sign-"
"Not enough!" Cain's roar shook the windows. "If I can't prove control over King Corporation, everything collapses. Everything."
A shadow crossed Aliya's face. "You mean our everything. Don't forget whose plan this was - who orchestrated your marriage to my sister, who forged those documents, who kidnapped her original groom so you could play the hero." Her voice dripped venom. "We built this together."
Cain froze. The realization hit like a bullet - this woman beside him had masterminded the betrayal of her own flesh and blood. Aliya had been the architect of every ruthless move, whispering poison in his ear for years. And now? The empire they'd built was crumbling.
His hands clenched. Elle - the woman he'd once loved, the glittering prize that had become his golden ticket - was gone. And with her, his grip on power slipped away. Aliya's presence suddenly felt like an anchor dragging him down.
Cain loomed over her, voice glacial. "Tell me the truth. Did you touch Elle?"
Aliya's mask slipped for a millisecond before snapping back. "Don't be ridiculous. You know I'd never act without you."
"Really?" His laugh was hollow. "You sold me this fantasy - that Elle was weak, controllable. Look where that got us."
Her nails dug into the couch. "After all my planning, all my sacrifices-"
"Your greed," Cain corrected coldly.
The silence between them thickened, charged like the air before a storm. For the first time, genuine fear prickled Cain's spine as he studied Aliya's calculating gaze. This woman was far more dangerous than he'd ever imagined.
And if Elle had truly escaped... the game had changed entirely.
"That bitch deserves everything coming to her," Aliya spat suddenly. "Don't let her ruin us now."
"Don't you dare talk about her like that!" Cain's shout rattled the windows.
Aliya's lips curled into something predatory. "Why so defensive, Cain? Could it be... you actually fell for her?"